What If?
by LightningSkies1
Summary: "Ask yourself something Agent Ward." Trip stared at him, an expression of pain marring his features. "If Skye hadn't made it, what would you be thinking right now?"


**Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

 **"Ask yourself something Agent Ward." Trip stared at him, an expression of pain marring his features. "If Skye hadn't made it, what would you be thinking right now?"**

* * *

Ward found himself back in one of the waiting rooms at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Trauma Zentrum in Switzerland. Why was he here?

They were supposed to be going after the Clairvoyant, or at least, who S.H.I.E.L.D. believes is the Clairvoyant. None of the candidates were actually the Clairvoyant, it was his SO, John Garrett, who held that title. Not that anyone knew.

Dr. Jazuat entered the room with a grim expression on her face. The rest of the team stood to her the news about their hacker.

"How is she?" Coulson asked.

"The shots perforated her stomach and penetrated the large and small intestines. We resected what we could, but - there's been too much damage," The doctor said in a business like tone. The specialist's walls almost shattered at hearing the familiar words.

"So, what's next?" Coulson replied. He was obviously trying to stay strong for the team.

"We-" An alarm began blaring before she could continue. "Shit!" The doctor cursed before sprinting off to the rooms.

Everyone stared at each other in panic. What if it was Skye? Was she possibly…...No, don't think like that Ward, you know she lived. This is just a bad dream. But this didn't happen in reality.

The alarms stopped. What was that supposed to mean? Was Skye okay? Was that just about another patient? His Rookie couldn't die, not yet.

Dr. Jazuat came back with an expression he could read. Pity. No, Skye couldn't die. She just couldn't.

"I'm very sorry. We did everything we could, but she didn't survive surgery. I'm sorry," she repeated before leaving the team to grieve.

It was if someone flipped an invisible switch. Fitzsimmons began crying, Coulson stared at the spot the doctor had stood in shock, and May left, probably to beat up Quinn. For Ward, it was like time had stopped. This wasn't supposed to happen. Skye shouldn't have died. She was young, and _good._

* * *

" _Do you know the hardest thing about boxing?"_

" _Getting punched in the face?"_

She made him want to pull a Jemma and jump off the plane without a parachute.

* * *

" _For a second there, I thought I was going to have to find a new Supervising Officer."_

" _Sorry to disappoint."_

But she was also the one who made him feel like the team was family.

* * *

" _I think that's beautiful. Pieces, solving a puzzle."_

She made him feel like he was a part of something bigger, like he didn't have to do everything alone.

* * *

" _I'm saying you need to call her family, get them here as soon as possible."_

" _We're her family."_

It was obvious that before he and Coulson kidnapped her, not many people cared about her.

* * *

" _So, what did Fitz and I miss while you all were at the Hub?" Ward asked Simmons._

" _A lot. Skye saved your lives, you know."_

" _What?"_

" _She hacked into a secure server in order to find information on your mission. When she found out there was no extraction, she was not happy. And trust me, you do not want to be in the same room with an angry Skye."_

It was just so wrong. She cared so much, about her team, about people like Mike and Hannah, about all those innocent people out there. She had so little, but gave so much.

* * *

" _Hoping for something and losing it hurts more than never hoping for anything."_

Just hearing her say that a while ago sent shivers down his spine. She was young, she shouldn't have to feel pain like that. She was...good. She wasn't like him, who let the bad things in life get to him. She was strong.

* * *

" _If you ever need to talk, I'm here. My shoulder's free."_

He wishes now, more than ever, that he took that offer.

* * *

" _The Tin Man has a heart after all."_

" _Let me go talk to him. Me, not T-1000 here."_

" _You're a robot, can you do that?"_

He would give anything to hear one of Skye's annoying nicknames for him.

* * *

 _They were splitting up for the undercover mission. He decided to pay Skye a visit before she and Fitz left._

" _Hey, Rookie." She looked really good. He wanted to kiss her right there. Wait, where did that come from?_

" _Hey." God, she looked beautiful when she smiled. Okay, he was definitely short circuiting. Great, now he's thinking he's a robot._

 _He finally managed to shake himself out of the daze he was in. "Stay safe, okay?" Stay safe? Was that all he had? He mentally groaned. Now Skye was living in his head._

" _Grant, I'll be fine." He tried to ignore how nice it felt to hold her hand._

 _The Rookie is getting to you! The Skye in his head shouted. Mission accomplished!_

 _Shut up Skye, he thought._

" _Okay." He left before he would end up saying something embarrassing._

He should've told her right there how he felt about her. With that thought in his mind, he broke down and cried for the first time in years.

* * *

The funeral was small and quiet. Only the team, Hannah Hutchins, Mindy and Ace Peterson, a few of her Rising Tide contacts, and Nick Fury himself had came.

Every single person who came had something to say, even Fury, Ace, and May.

Hannah spoke of Skye's kindness, and how she still spoke to her even though Hannah herself felt like a freak of nature.

Mindy spoke of how much she had helped her brother, Mike, and how she would always be thankful for her. Ace just sat there in his aunt's arms, unsure of what was going on.

Each of her Rising Tide contacts put aside their hate for S.H.I.E.L.D. to come. They spoke of some fun times they had together, and hilarious things Skye got them to do.

The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was next. He said that while he had initial doubts about the hacker, she had definitely proven herself. He then shared how he had planned on making her a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent after Quinn was caught.

 _Skye would have liked that_ , Ward mused.

"She was an amazing person," Fitz began.

"Like a little sister, Simmons continued.

The two alternated speaking, talking about how brave and caring Skye was. Fitz spoke of the time on the train where she pretended they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Simmons spoke of the time she and Skye made a plan to find more information on his and Fitz's mission that ended with her shooting agent Sitwell.

Ward was among the few that laughed at that. Simmons was infamous for her lying abilities, of lack of them. Plus, he never did like Sitwell.

The two continued, speaking about the pranks they pulled on each other and how much they would miss her.

It was Coulson's turn to speak. "There was something about her from the moment I met her. I just knew that she was destined for great things. Skye was annoying, rebellious, and tended to joke at the wrong times."

Ward chuckled. It was too true.

"But she was also compassionate, determined, and willing to risk anything to protect the people she cares about. No one could ever replace her. She was, she was like the daughter I never had."

Anyone with two eyes could see that Skye and Coulson were definitely close. It was shocking though to see the usually strong and upbeat man cry. Especially if that man was your boss. Skye just had that effect on everyone.

If she were here, she'd probably make some inappropriate joke and threaten them to quit crying. But she wasn't here, he reminded himself.

May now took her place on the stand. "She just had this way to get to everyone, in a good and an annoying way. Rest in Peace."

Finally, it was his turn. "I'm not usually someone who speaks at these things, or much at all, but May is right. Skye just had a way to get into your head from the moment you met her. I am not ashamed to say that I have, more than once, wished I could knock her out or cover her mouth with tape."

Some in the audience chuckled. Guess Skye's talking habits were infamous.

"She was more than just Skye. She was a daughter." He nodded at Coulson and May.

"A little sister." Fitzsimmons grinned through their tears.

"An ally." Members of the Rising Tide bowed their heads.

"A friend." Hannah and Mindy Peterson smiled.

"For me, she was my Rookie. And, even though I didn't want it, she wormed her way into my heart. I loved her," he announced to the world. Fuck what people thought. It was too late for him to tell the one he loved that, but he wasn't going to hide it anymore. He was in love with Skye.

"I won't let her sacrifice be in vain. I will not stop until all the people responsible are either dead or in a cell. They will rue the day they ordered Quinn to kill Skye. These people killed the person I loved. And, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to let them get away with it," he finished, barely holding back his tears. Garrett would pay.

* * *

"Ward, Ward!" Trip yelled.

"What?" Ward snapped.

"Blake's down, Deathlok was spotted, c'mon!" Wait, Trip? Deathlok?

"Hurry up dude!" He sprinted after Trip. Best to save the questions for later.

The two found May hunched over Blake's body. Was he dead? May seemed to understand his train of thought.

"He's alive right now, but in really bad shape. When is the damn backup getting here?" She growled.

As if hearing them, backup arrived and strapped Blake in a gurney. As they wheeled him away, the Bus landed not too far away.

Ward sprinted off to the Bus. Skye. He needed to see Skye. He needed to know that she was alive.

* * *

"My thoughts exactly!" He heard the very familiar voice exclaim. He turned to see Skye walking with FitzSimmons, talking about who knows what.

She was here. She was _alive._ Before he knew what he was doing, he tackled her in a hug. Realizing that this was very unlike him, he let go. The trio stared at him in shock. He couldn't blame them, it has been awhile since he initiated a hug with anyone.

"Did the Robot short circuit?" He couldn't even find himself mad at that statement.

"I'm glad you're alive."

"Me too. Who else would annoy you then?" This girl was going to be the death of him.

"Hey, where's Coulson?" He asked. "I need to talk to him about something."

"In his office, Robot. See you at training," Skye replied.

"Wait!" He yelled.

"What?" She stared at him in confusion.

"Training is cancelled today." He made sure to take a mental picture of her shocked face before leaving.

* * *

He found himself in front of the door to Coulson's office, too scared to knock. _What if Coulson hates him and kicks him off the plane?_ Then, he would definitely deserve it. Deciding to quit wasting time, he knocked.

"Come in," Coulson called.

Bracing himself, he entered. Ward took a seat before telling Coulson to sit down.

Doing as Ward requested, albeit a little confused, Coulson asked if Ward had anything to tell him.

Before the specialist could lose his nerve, he spilled everything. How he nearly killed his brother. How Garrett had found him and recruited him. He told Coulson about HYDRA and being undercover, about being put on this plane to find out how Coulson had come back to life, he gave Coulson the identities of many HYDRA agents in S.H.I.E.L.D., and finally told him of how Garrett was the Clairvoyant.

Coulson seemed to be speechless from what Ward had told him. "Why?" Coulson inquired. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Someone made me open my eyes, see what could have happened, but didn't."

"Skye?"

He nodded, not trusting his voice.

Garrett would pay.


End file.
